{"id":100,"date":"2024-01-18T11:18:55","date_gmt":"2024-01-18T11:18:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/?page_id=100"},"modified":"2025-10-03T13:27:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-03T13:27:15","slug":"eyes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/?page_id=100","title":{"rendered":"Eyes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n \n
\n
\n

EYES<\/h2>\n

BGVs' EYES    <\/b> 
\n
In\n1996, a PBGV imported into England from France was tested and found to have\nPrimary Open Angled Glaucoma.  This was the first known case in the\nUK.  It set in motion many years of intense effort and liaison between the\nBGV Club, Peter Bedford Professor of Veterinary Ophthalmology and the Animal\nHealth Trust in researching and attempting to eradicate this eye disease from\nthe breed.  Regular eye testing and now DNA testing play a large\npart.  There has been no indication of the disease in GBGVs.\n  
\n
WHAT IS GLAUCOMA?    <\/b>   
\n
PRIMARY\nGLAUCOMA<\/b> is an inherited canine condition. \nIt is sub-divided into two types - Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) and Closed\nAngle Glaucoma (PCAG).  In both forms glaucoma results from reduced\ndrainage of fluid within the eye, causing a build up of pressure\nand damage to the delicate structures within the eye.  This in turn\nleads to pain and probable blindness. \n  
\n
Closed\nangle glaucoma<\/u>  This type of glaucoma is\nmore difficult to detect as the problem occurs further down in the eye\nstructure and pressures can be OK one day and escalated the\nnext.  It is more complex than POAG and may involve more than one\ntype of mutation making it harder to find in the canine DNA.  Although\nrare, during the screening process of PBGVs, Primary Closed Angle Glaucoma has\nbeen found.
\n
Open angle glaucoma<\/u> is a disease in which the cells that produce sight\nin the retina are destroyed by a slow rise in the internal fluid pressure in\nthe eye. Normally this fluid, known as the aqueous, is constantly produced\ninside the eyes to feed the lens and the cornea. It is drained from the eye\nback into blood vessels and the production and drainage rates are\nbalanced.  In POAG it is a disturbance of drainage which leads to an\naccumulation of this fluid and hence the pressure rise. The sight gradually diminishes\nand, as the fluid pressure increases, the eye enlarges and the lens may\ndislocate. Eventually the dog becomes blind.\n \n  
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EYE\nTESTING    <\/b>\n
\n
The British Veterinary\nAssociation\/Kennel Club Eye Scheme offers the facility of eye testing to\nscreen for inherited eye disease.  Anyone can use the information to\neliminate or reduce the frequency of eye disease being passed on to puppies\nand, importantly, it gives early warning where treatment may be needed to delay\nonset. \n \nAlthough\nany breed can be examined for eye disease, currently only the results of those\nbreeds that appear on a Kennel Club list (Schedule A) have these included\non the KC computer records and published in the KC Breed Records\nSupplement.  The eye test certificate records any possible problems and,\nimportantly, whether a PBGV that has been Genetically<\/i> diagnosed by\nDNA test as having POAG is Clinically<\/i> Affected or Clinically<\/i> Unaffected at the time of eye testing.  These eye test results for\nany PBGV affected by POAG may change from one test to the next, depending on\nwhether the eye drops used are keeping the pressures under control.\u200b  
Put\nsimple this means:\n  
CLINICALLY\nUNAFFECTED        EYE PRESSURES SATISFACTORY AT TIME OF EYE\nTESTING                    
CLINICALLY\nAFFECTED            \n EYE PRESSURES RAISED AT TIME OF EYE TESTING\n \n 
\n
Message\nfrom Peter Bedford:<\/i> \"Undoubtedly\nthere is evidence that Open Angle Glaucoma is inherited. This disease is\ndifficult to manage because it is often silent in its approach and, by the time\nthe diagnosis is made, the dog's sight is badly affected and the eye may be\nenlarged. Once the process starts it is almost impossible to control. The\nearlier the diagnosis, the better the chance of effective treatment\n  
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EXPLAINING THE EYE\nTESTS     <\/b>   
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BACKGROUND<\/b>    
\n
As several factors were involved, for many years the BGV Club in collaboration\nwith Prof Peter Bedford concentrated on abnormal anatomy in the drainage\nangle and subtle pressure rises in the eye.  They therefore encouraged two\ntypes of eye testing - gonioscopy and tonometry.  Only tonometry is\nnow needed. \n  
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GONIOSCOPY<\/b>  \n(The abnormal anatomy).  
\n
This is an eye examination, separate from the\nroutine one carried out under the BVA\/KC\/ISDS Eye Scheme.  It is done to\ndetect glaucoma predisposition, or how likely the eye is to develop\nglaucoma.  This test only had to be done once in a PBGV's\nlifetime, from 4 months old onwards.  It ensured the angle was open\nand provided information on what is generally described at pectinate ligament\ndysplasia.  For POAG the angle is not abnormal in clinical appearance\nin affected dogs and the advent of DNA testing early 2015 rendered this\ntest unnecessary.   <\/b> 
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TONOMETRY<\/b>  \n(The pressure).  
\n
This BVA\/KC\/ISDS regulated test, which still takes\nplace for PBGVs, measures pressure within the eye and out-flow pressure. \nIt aids early identification of problems such to POAG, Progressive Retinal\nAtrophy and Lens Luxation.  It is ideally done annually, preferably up to\nthe age of 9.   Twice a year is advisable and, if a dog is related to\na known \"Affected\", every 3 months.  <\/b> 
\n
WHAT\nRECORDS DOES THE BGV CLUB HOLD?  <\/b>\n
\n
From\n2006, after members had sent in the results of their PBGVs' eye tests (with\ntheir consent) the BGV Club committee compiled a full record of all\nwho had undergone eye testing.  For a small fee to cover printing and\npostage, this was made available in booklet form to club members, with the\nBGV Club retaining full copyright and a restriction on reproduction.  The\naim of making the information available to members was to help breeders in\ntheir selection of sire and dam in an effort to control POAG in the breed.\n \nIn\n2014-15 this method of maintaining a track on PBGV eye health was superseded by\nthe advent of DNA testing and the official Kennel Club publication of results. <\/a> 
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\n DNA\nTESTING    <\/a><\/b>   
\n
In\nthe UK, the PBGV was originally the first breed certified for POAG under\nthe Eye Scheme.  After many years' research, in 2014 the Animal\nHealth Trust gave the exciting news that they had identified the genetic\nmutation responsible for POAG in PBGVs.  Since early 2015 a DNA test has\nbeen available. This test largely obviates the need for gonioscopy and\nwill be invaluable in eradicating the disease from PBGVs as there is no\npredisposing factor that can be screened for by eye examination before the\nonset of the disease.\n \nFollowing\nclosure of the AHT and until the newly formed Canine Genetics section gets\nfully under way again, you can send cheek swabs to Animal DNA Diagnostics,\nhaving first paid for the test on-line or made an order by phone.\n \nAnimal\nDNA Diagnostics analyses these and sends a Letter of DNA\nAnalysis, telling you whether your PBGV is Affected, a Carrier, or Clear of the\ndisease.  They also send results to the Kennel Club.  <\/b> 
\n
DNA TESTING RESULTS   <\/b> 
\n
From\nearly 2015 the AHT provided the BGV Club with regular updates on how many\nDNA tests by country had been carried out by them.  Naturally, over\ntime, the number  decreased as most owners had come on board\nalready.  The AHT also provided a list of those countries from which\nless than 5 samples had been received.  This was probably because the\nbreed is numerically small in some countries.\n \n\u200bAnother\nfactor in the diminishing number of DNA tests being carried out is that, armed\nwith the knowledge of a PBGV's health status, breeders can now avoid a breeding\nthat poses a risk.  \n \n\u200bThe\nKC also publishes results of all PBGV DNA screening passed onto them by\nlaboratories.  However this list is incomplete. The absence of\npublished results on their website may be due to a number of reasons one of\nwhich is that, at the time of testing, the puppies had not been\nissued with full registration details so the DNA results could not be added to\nthe database. \n \nTo\nhelp breeders when planning a litter, the BGV Club therefore provides a more\ncomplete list of DNA POAG testing results, which is updated regularly.
   
ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT\nDNA TESTING   <\/b>   
\n
DO\nALL PBGVs NEED TESTING REGARDLESS OF AGE?  <\/b> 
\n
YES!!! \nCertainly all breeding stock should be tested. However, in the knowledge that a\nClear to a Clear mating will produce all Clear puppies, consider which PBGVs\nneed to be tested.  If you own several you may not need to have all of\nthem tested as you may be spending money unnecessarily. Look at your pedigrees\nand start with the older hounds. In many cases this will entail liaison between\nbreeders where one has used another's stud dog. If both sire and dam are tested\nClear, off-spring from that mating will automatically be*<\/i><\/b>Hereditary\nClear, thus no need to test them. However, with the various possible\npermutations, any other than progeny from two Clear parents will require\ntesting to establish their status. This is especially important with those\ndestined for reproduction, as the key to managing genetic conditions with a DNA\ntest through successive generations is in knowing exactly where the faulty\ncopies of the genes are.\n  
\n
* \n <\/i><\/b>............ from the KC\nregarding DNA testing of Hereditary Clear Dogs. Pedigree error is a known\nphenomenon. DNA tests exist to ensure that no Affected puppies are born. The\nHereditary Clear Status will therefore be limited to two Generations from January\n2022<\/i><\/b>\n
\n
** i.e. great grand progeny (3rd generation) will need to be tested.<\/i><\/b> <\/b>  <\/i><\/b><\/b>** And\nan update from the KC dated 6 July 2021 - \"Originally scheduled to come\ninto effect in January 2022, this has now been postponed to 2023 to allow for\nnecessary development work to be completed and in order for \u2018hereditary clear\u2019\nstatus to be as effective and reliable as possible\".<\/i><\/b><\/b>   
\n
IF\nA BREEDING BEWEEN TWO CLEARS BEARS NO RISK, WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF OTHER\nMATINGS?  <\/b>\n
\n
For\nexample, a Carrier can still be used for breeding purposes but the Carrier will\nneed to be put to a Clear to avoid producing Affected offspring. The resultant\nlitter from such a mating would produce on average 50% Carriers of the\nmutation. Although statistically two Carriers will produce Affected and\nClear, this isn't guaranteed. Each dog carries one good and one faulty\ngene, so there is a chance that both sire and dam passed on their good gene.
 
As a breeder, even if you endorsed your puppies \"Progeny not eligible for\nregistration\", based on known test results of the parents, if your litter\nis other than 100% clear, it will be your responsibility to contact those who\nbought a puppy from you, advising they get their PBGV's DNA analysed if they intend\nbreeding - and making them alert to the possible consequences of reckless\nbreeding.\n  
\n
SO\nSHOULD WE BREED FROM CARRIERS?  <\/b>\n
\n
As part\nof <\/b>her Animal Heath Trust work <\/b>Cathryn Mellersh \nproduced a valuable and useful paper on the subject giving advice that Carriers\nshould always be included in the first one or two generations that follow the\nlaunch of a DNA test for a recessive mutation. \n \nThis\nis regardless of the frequency of the mutation as it gives breeders the\nopportunity to capture desirable traits, such as breed type and temperament,\nbefore they start to select for dogs that are Clear of the mutation. \n  
\n
WHAT\nIS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORDERING A SWAB TEST KIT AND ORDERING SWAB\nTESTING? <\/b>\n
\n
When <\/b>you\norder and pay on-line or by phone for a DNA test, you will be sent a swab test\nkit and instructions how to use it. At the time of ordering you will provide\nvarious details about your BGV including registered name, registration number,\nprovisional name if not already registered, date of birth, sex\nand microchip number.\n\u200b\nWhen\nyou have a kit and have swabbed your BGV's mouth, you then send it off for\ntesting and analysis.  
\n
IS\nVETERINARY OR OTHER RESPONSIBLE CONTROL NEEDED WHEN SWABBING? <\/b>\n
\n
Wiping\nround the inside of your BGV's mouth and cheeks is not difficult therefore it\nis not <\/b>necessary to seek help from your vet, unless you want\nhim\/her to confirm that he\/she has checked the microchip number during\nswabbing. 
\n
DO\nI GAIN ANY BENEFIT FROM BEING AN ASSURED BREEDER?  <\/b>\n
\n
At\nthe moment there are no discounts for Kennel Club Assured Breeders\nwhich can be applied for purchases at Animal (DNA)\nDiagnostics.   
\n
DO\nANY CONDITIONS APPLY FOR AN ASSURED BREEDER? <\/b>\n
\n
As\na Kennel Club ABS member,  you are obliged to DNA test your PBGVs. \nThis became effective from 20 July 2016.  It will not be necessary for\nthose who breed from a Clear sire and Clear dam, as the offspring will be\nautomatically clear (but see *<\/b> above).<\/i>\n
\n
THE\nAHT (CANINE GENETICS) ALREADY HOLDS MY PBGV'S SWABS<\/b> 
\n
If\na sample was used in the AHT's research and contributed towards finding\nthe causal mutation for POAG in PBGVs, they would have reported their\nfindings directly to the owner.  In the event, only a few cases were\nused to achieve this goal. PBGVs whose eyes were OK were not needed. While\nan increase in the intra-ocular pressures would indicate a case, an absence of\nthis increased pressure didn't necessarily indicate an unaffected control\n- the PBGV could have been a carrier.\n \nSubmissions\nfor DNA testing to any laboratory should ideally be traceable from when the\norder is placed through to providing the result. An exception to this is where\na new sample is unobtainable because the dog has passed away since the research\nsample was submitted.  If you ever need information on a DNA test that was\ndone some time ago, ask for a Letter of DNA Analysis and give a donation to\nhelp with the cost of analysis.  <\/b>    <\/i><\/b><\/b> <\/i><\/b><\/b> 
\n
HOW\nDO I FIND OUT THE STATUS OF A PBGV WHEN CONSIDERING A MATING OR BUYING A PUPPY? <\/b>   
\n
DNA\ntest results are gradually fed through from the laboratory doing the\ntest to the Kennel Club for publication. However bear in mind that the KC\nlist of DNA test results is by no  means exhaustive, as some\ninformation may not have been available to them at the time, such as\nregistration details.\n \nYou\ncan search for a PBGV here, on the Kennel Club website \n \nAlternatively,\nyou can also view information on any PBGV's DNA status by using the BGV Club\ncompiled Test Results here.  \n \nAnother\nuseful source of information can be found on the PBGV Club of America website\nwhich gives details of all PBGVs either registered with the AKC or shown\nin American PBGVs' pedigrees.  The information includes DNA test\nresults.\n  
\n
WILL\nI STILL NEED TO GET MY BGV's EYES TESTED?  <\/b> 
\n
YES!!! \nDNA testing is not an alternative to clinical testing but rather a tool to be\nutilised by breeders in conjunction with their normal selection criteria of\nconformation, temperament etc. Any dog or bitch intended for use in\nbreeding should continue to be clinically screened on a regular basis.\nCertainly an eye examination before breeding is advisable in case there is a\nproblem; and continued regular testing will highlight any problem.  \n  
\n
MOST\nIMPORTANTLY, <\/i><\/b>even if you have obtained a DNA analysis,\nbear in mind that causes of glaucoma can be genetic or acquired, such as\ninfections or trauma (known as secondary glaucoma).  Your PBGV may be\npredisposed to a combination of genetic mutation and a concurrent acquired\neye disease.   In addition, with evidence that POAG can present in\nolder dogs, eye testing into old age on an annual basis is therefore\nextremely desirable.   Great strides have been made in detecting\nthe gene that causes the mutation leading to POAG and, while there is certainly\nno need for alarm, bear in mind that this is an evolving science and there may\nalways be the exception that proves the rule.  If a problem is\nfound early, there are remedies which may increase the length of time that\nyour PBGV's eyesight remains good.\n  Eye\ntesting should still take place, as there are other eye diseases that might be\ndetected.  Picking them up early will help prevent it becoming an issue\nfor the breed in the future<\/b> <\/b> If you have any questions about DNA testing\nfor POAG in PBGVs, contact \u200bBreed Health\nCo-ordinator, 
Fiona Buchanan 07795 068860 tarmachangbgv@gmail.com
Within the first year of DNA testing for POAG, over\n1,050 PBGVs worldwide were tested by the Animal Health Trust.  
\n
OTHER EYE PROBLEMS    <\/b> 
\n
While\nPOAG and cataracts remain the main problem in the breed, there is some minor\nevidence of diseases such as Persistent Pupillary Membranes (PPMs) and\nLens Luxation.\n \nFor\nmore details go to the Specific Concerns page.
CONTINUE TO CHECK EYES REGULARLY,\nIT MAY SAVE YOUR PBGV'S SIGHT!\n \n
<\/b>\n <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n

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WE WILL HELP YOU  ......<\/h2>\n

If you have any concerns about your BGV's well-being which appear to be related to any of the known health problems in the breed, let us know.  We are here to support you.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n \n \n \n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

EYES BGVs’ EYES      In 1996, a PBGV imported into England from France was tested and found to have Primary Open Angled Glaucoma.  This was the first known case in the UK.  It set in motion many years of intense effort and liaison between the BGV Club, Peter Bedford Professor of Veterinary Ophthalmology and the Animal … Continue reading “Eyes”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":5,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-100","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=100"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/100\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":856,"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/100\/revisions\/856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bgvclub.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}